Mixed Micelles of Triton X-100, Sodium Dodecyl Dioxyethylene Sulfate, and Synperonic L61 Investigated by NOESY and Diffusion Ordered NMR Spectroscopy

Mixed micelles formed from nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX100), anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl dioxyethylene sulfate (SDP2S), and triblock copolymer Synperonic L61 (SL61) were investigated by H-1 NMR spectroscopy. The size and shape of the aggregates were determined by diffusion ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY), while 2D nuclear Overhauser enhanced spectroscopy (NOESY) NMR was used to study the mutual spatial arrangement of the surfactant molecules in the aggregated state. An average micellar hydrodynamic radius of 3.6 nm, slightly increasing upon increasing TX100 molar fraction, was found for the mixed systems without additives. Addition of SL61 to the mixed micellar systems results in a slight increase of micellar radii. In the presence of AlCl3, an increase of TX100/SDP2S micellar sizes from 4 to 10 nm was found when increasing the SDP2S molar fraction. The mixed TX100/SDP2S micelles in the presence of both AlCl3 and polymer SL61 are almost spherical, with a radius of 4.5 nm. 2D NOESY data reveal that, as the individual TX100 micelles, mixed TX100/SDP2S and TX100/SDP2S/SL61/AlCl3 micelles also have a multilayer structure, with partially overlapping internal and external layers of TX100 molecules. In these mixed micelles, the SDP2S molecules are located at the level of the external layer of TX100 molecules, whereas the SL61 polymer is partially incorporated inside of the micellar core.